Refrigerator cabinet



Feb. 16, 1943. J. L. KNIGHT 2,311,446

REFRIGERATOR CABINET Filed June 28, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figl.

Inventor-. Jizrnes L. Kni ht, y His Attorney J. L. KNIGHT REFRIGERATOR CABINET Feb. 1 1943. 2,311,446

Filed June 28, 1941- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invepoor: James L. Knight, by Fangs: J

His Attorney atented Feb. 16, 1943 REFRIGERATOR CABINET James L. Knight, Erie, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 28, 1941, Serial No...400,189;

4 Claims.

dy invention relates to refrigerator cabinets i more particularly to receptacles or compartnts provided within the food storage compart nt of refrigerator cabinets for the purpose of intaining food, such as butter and the like, at emperature higher than that within the main d storage space of the cabinet. n order that food stuffs may be properly preved in a refrigerator, it is necessary to main- 1 the food storage space within the cabinet at emperature lower than that at which butter eads easily. When butter is kept in the rererator cabinet, it is necessary that it be. med up before it is in condition for serving 3. table. Accordingly, it is an object of my intion to provide a new and improved receptacle :ompartznent constructed andarranged to be 305811 within the refrigerated compartment of efrigerator cabinet and for maintaining the ter kept therein at a temperature which will rnit easy spreadingthereof. urther objects and advantages of my invention become apparent as the following description :eeds, and thefeatures of novelty which racterize my invention will be pointed out with ticularity in the claims annexed to and forma part of this specification. v or a better understanding ofmy invention, rence may be had to the accompanying drawin which Fig. 1 is a partial view of a housei type refrigerator provided with a compartit or receptacle embodying the principles of invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged'partial view ing downwardly on the receptacle shown in 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view, partly in 35 ion, of the receptacle shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. a sectional view of the receptacle taken along ,ine 4-4 ef'Fig. '1. eferring to the drawings, there is illustrated ig. 1 a refrigerator cabinet I!) of the domestic having a food storage compartment I l ar- :ed to be cooled by a suitable cooling unit or .gerant evaporator l2. In order to mainbutter and the like at a temperature above generally prevailing in the storage space H usually lower than the temperature prevail= exteriorly of the cabinet, there is provided a ptacle or compartment l3 having thermally lated walls. The receptacle is provided with rnostatically controlled heating means as lnafter described in order that heat may be rrted to the interior of the receptacle. best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the walls of the :1- compartment or receptacle comprise inner outer shells or walls It and I5, respectively. 55

The inner liner should be formed from a material which is a relatively good conductor of heat, preferably of metal, such as aluminum, for e'xample. The outer shell may be made of metal or any other suitable material, as a plastic material, for example. The shells are maintained in spaced-apart relationship by means of a frame or spacer member i6 formed from a material having relatively poor=heat conducting characterisand the food storage compartment H which serves to minimize the transfer of heat through the walls of the receptacle. The back face of the spacer is provided with a groove H which receives the front edge of the outer shell l5. On the front face of the spacer there is provided a shoulder I B engaging the turned back edge of the inner shell. The spacer It can be made integral with the outer shell if material which is a relatively poor conductor of heat is employed.

Means for maintaining the shell and spacer in assembled relationship is provided. For this purpose there is shown a pair of fastening members in the form of studs l9 extending through suitable openings in the rear wall of the inner shell or casing. The studs are preferably formed from material having relatively poor heat conducting characteristics, as a plastic material, for example. The fastening means is completed by a pair of suitably threaded members such as screws 20 extending through suitable openings in the rear wall of the outer shell into engagement with suitably threaded bores in the studs 19. The foregoing structural details of the butter conditioner are not my invention but are shown and claimed in the copending application of La Mar S. Cooper, Serial No. 386,947, filed April 4, 1941, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

A hinged door or closure member 2i is provided for closing the opening in the front wall of the receptacle. A handle 47 is suitably attached to the door. In the illustrated form, the closure memberof the door 2! is formed of sheet metal and is bent back upon itself across the top edge of the door as indicated by the numeral 22 and for the purpose to be described hereinafter although any suitable material can be used. A door made This means or head 3i.

of poor heat conductive material will reduce heat leakage therethrough. The door is also provided with a laterally and rearwardly extending flange 23, the material at the free edge of the fiange being rolled upon itself to provide a hinge mamher having a pair of hinge knuckles 24, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The door is hingedly attached to a second hinge member or devic in the form of a hinge plate which is provided with a rolled-over portion, thereby providing a hinge knuckle25a. A suitable pintle (not shown) is passed through the knuckles 26 and 25a of the hinge assembly. The hinge plate is suitably secured to the top wall of the outer shell in any suitable manner as by means of nuts and bolts,

for example.

There is provided means for maintaining the door in its fully closed or fully open position. comprises the aforementioned turned back portionr22 of the door and a substantially U-shaped' spring 26. The lower arm of the spring, as viewed in Fig. 3, is retained in position on the upper wall of the shell by means of the hinge plate 25 which passes thereover. The spring is accurately positioned by means of a laterally extending portion'26a which extends through a suitable opening in the top wall of the outer shell. The spring 26 biases the door to its fully closed position or to its fully open position depending upon the angle of the plane of the door "with respect to the spring 26. The door and spring arrangement therefor is described and claimed in the copending application of Harold Smith, Serial No. 400,681 filed July 1, 1941, and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention.

I have provided means for supporting the compartment or receptacle l3 from the walls of the refrigerator cabinet. In the illustrated form of my invention, the receptacle I3 is placed in an upper corner of the storage compartment II. The receptacle is supported at the rear by means of a pair of heat insulating studs 21 suitably secured to the rear wall 28 of the refrigerator as by means of screws extending through suitable openings inthe wall 28 into threaded engagement with s tably threaded bores in the studs. The studs pass through suitable openings 21a in the rear wall of the outer shell. The receptacle is supported irom a side wall 29 of the refrigerator cabinet by means of a heat insulating stud 30 provided with an enlarged portion The stud extends through a suitable opening 32 in the side wall of the outer shell [5. Inorder to maintain securely the receptacle in position, I have provided a pair of spring members 33, illustrated as being of the leaf type, suitably attached to the inner side of the rear wall of the outer shell as by means of rivets, for example. The springs 33 are arranged to bear against the ends of the studs 21 thereby urging the receptacle forward with respect to the rear wall of a refrigerator cabinet and therefore urging a portion of the edge of the opening 32 into engagement with the stud 30.

Lateral movement of the receptacle from the wall 29 is prevented or limited by the studs 21 ard the head 3!.

There is provided means for applying heat to the interior of the receptacle and for regulating the temperature therein. This means comprises an electric heater 34, a thermostat 35 and suitable connections for incorporating the heater and thermostatic element in an electric herein is so arranged that it maybe asseml in the receptacle structure with only the us screws 20 or the like for holding it in pl thereby providing a structure which is extren simple to assemble or disassemble; The he:

is held in intimate thermal engagement the inner shell 14 by means of a clamp or which slips under a bracket 46 suitably cured to the inner shell as by welding, for ample.

The heater is preferably located on or a cent the top wall of "the inner liner. This position of the source of heat provides a t perature gradient within the inner liner or r of the same order as the natural tempera gradient for the air in the space between liners or shells, thereby minimizing convec currents within the space and heat leakage It is preferable to utilize a concentrated 1 source, as by employing a heater which is pl". cally small, in order to minimize the temp ture gradient over the surface of the inner l or shell so that a relatively uniform temp ture distribution within the receptacle and n mum heat leakageis obtained.

The thermostatic element 35 is provided a heat insulating frame 38 having a late: extending portion 31 which is adapted to ex outwardly through a suitable opening in front edge .of the side wall of the recent As best seen .in Figs. 3 and 4, the projectio: serves to position the thermostatic element. asmuch as the details of theelectrical p01 of the thermostatic element are no part 01 invention. it is believed unnecessary to prc illustration thereof and therefore in the d: ings I have merely disclosed in outline for thermostatic element 35 and a pair of elect terminals 38. In order to vary the tempers within the receptacle to suit the preferem the user of the device, the thermostatic elei is preferably adjustable. There is lllustrat knob 39 attached to a shaft extending thr an opening in the projection 31 for this pur In order to minimize the transfer of heat the thermostatic element 35 to the outer there is provided a plurality of studs or jections 40 on the outer surface of the the static, element thereby minimizing the are contact between the thermostat base or f and the outer or shell liner. As illustrate Fig. 4, thethermostat is made of the co thickness to be held rigidly between the she casings. Projection 31 is provided wit] arcuately shaped shoulder 310, the ends th serving as stops for pointer 33a of the adjus member 39.

There are provided electrical connection including the heater and thermostat in an trical circuit. There is provided in the wall of the cabinet 9. terminal block 41 n a pair of terminals suitably connected i electric circuit. I have illustrated the conn or terminal block 4| being secured in po; by a plate 42 suitably attached to the ten block and retained between the studs 21 the rear wall 23, the fastening means assor circuit. The electrical assembly illustrated the outer shell and the studs i9, and er passing through suitable openings in the plate 44. Suitable electrical connections are made between the terminals, the heater 34 and the thermostat 35. The electrical devices are described and claimed in the aforementioned Cooper application.

In assembling the receptacle, the frame or spacer member I6 is first placed over the inner shell. The electrical assembly is then placed in position with the clip 45 inserted in the bracket 46. The outer shell is then assembled over the inner liner or shell, frame and electrical assembly. The studs [9 and fastening members 20 are then engaged and tightened. It will thus be seen that a very simple structure permitting easy assembly is provided. With this arrangement of parts it will beseen that as soon as the outer shell is removed, the entire electrical assembly can be removed and a new one put in place without any soldering of connections or tightening of screw terminals.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not desire my invention like, a removable auxiliary receptacle, and means for supporting said receptacle in said compart ment, said receptacle having an opening in a wall thereof, a first member on a wall of the compartment extending through said opening, said.

receptacle having a second opening, a second member on a wall of said compartment extend- "of,- 'a secondmember on the wall of said compartment adjacent said second opening and extending intosaid second opening, spring means carried by said receptacle on the inner side of said wall adjacent said first opening and engaging said first member for biasing said receptacle into frictional engagement with said second member to support said receptacle in place, said second member having an enlarged .head for cooperating with said first member cent the side wall of the compartment, a second ing into said second opening, means carried on g a first member on a wall of the compartment and extending through said opening, said receptacle having a second opening in another wall theremember on said side wall of said compartment and extending into said second opening, and means carried on the inner surface of said receptacle engaging said "first member for biasing said receptacle into frictional engagement with said second member for supporting said re:

ceptacle in place.

4. In a refrigerator cabinet or the like having a food storage compartment, a removable auxiliary receptacle'and means for supporting said receptacle in a corner of said compartment, said receptacle having an'opening in the rear wall thereof, a first member on the rear wall of the compartment and extending through said opening, said receptacle having a second opening in the side wall adjacent the side wall of the compartment, a second, member on said side wall of said compartment and extending into said second opening, and leaf-spring means, one end of said spring means being secured to the inner surface of said rear wall of said receptacle, the other end of said spring means engaging said first member for biasing said receptacle into frictional engagement with said second member to support said receptacle in place, saidsecond member having an enlarged head for cooperation with said second opening and first member normally to limit lateral movement of said receptacle from said side wall.

JAMES L; KNIGHT. 

